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Willie, Willie, Harry, Stee, by Charlie Higson

Willie, Willie, Harry, Stee, by Charlie Higson

A lively survey of English and British monarchs that combines humour with a broadly informative narrative of the nation’s past.

Whether you are interested in being introduced to British history, or you are familiar with it, Willie, Willie, Harry, Stee, will prove to be a find. Borne out of a successful podcast of the same name, Charlie Higson has written a book which entertains and educates in...

Has 2026 Changed the World of Assassination?

Has 2026 Changed the World of Assassination?

A timely inquiry proposes that assassination today remains a fixture of statecraft as recent targeted killings continue to pervade the geopolitical sphere but rarely deliver clear strategic success.
Simon Ball

If the question posed above were possible, states have already pushed assassination even further to the fore since the publication of Death to Order: A Modern History of Assassination in the summer of 2025. However, if we look underneath the headlines, then the trends...

The Mother City

The Mother City

From the mythic to the unhesitatingly heroic, this opening extract from a history of Glasgow examines what exactly forged the city’s strong sense of self.
Alistair Moffat

On the afternoon of 30 June 2007, outside Terminal One at Glasgow Airport, a baggage handler was on a fly cigarette break when a Jeep Cherokee sped towards the main entrance and smashed into the security bollards. It looked like some sort of crazy ram-raid. After the...

The Rise and Fall of the British Army by Ben Barry

The Rise and Fall of the British Army by Ben Barry

This timely book is a love letter to the British Army.

The Rise and Fall of the British Army by Ben Barry This detailed though eminently accessible and readable book demonstrates that without an extensive land-based war fighting capability the UK would not have been able to respond to the range and extent of challenges...

Trojan Barbie – Review

Trojan Barbie – Review

Warning: Many Barbies were harmed in the making of this production.
Lily Lowe

Trojan Barbie - Review Christine Evans’ war torn Troy is a far cry from the pink utopia of Barbieland. Based on Euripides’ tragedy The Trojan Women, the play explores the impact of war on the women left behind. Set simultaneously in the past and present, Trojan Barbie...

Herstory: An Aspects of History Anthology

Herstory: An Aspects of History Anthology

This book is a necessary testament to the spirit, intelligence, and impact of women throughout history.
Zoe Brunskill

Herstory: An Aspects of History Anthology Women’s history is often being turned over, reevaluated, rediscovered, and retold as we understand further how stereotypes at the time heavily influenced how women were remembered. This is opening our eyes to forgotten figures...

A Rare Old Time

A Rare Old Time

A Review of Seven Drunken Nights: The Story of the Dubliners.

A Rare Old Time The Dubliners may warrant a footnote rather than whole chapter in the story of folk music. But, as historians will tell you, footnotes are important. Ged Graham proves an amiable, amusing and avuncular host, as he steers the audience through the...

Review:  A Little Inquest Into What We Are All Doing Here

Review: A Little Inquest Into What We Are All Doing Here

Not just a performance, but a declaration by Josie Dale-Jones.
Zoe Brunskill

Josie Dale-Jones is a force to be reckoned with as she takes to Shoreditch Town Hall for her show, A Little Inquest Into What We Are All Doing Here. The show is an exploration of topics such as censorship, free speech, artistic freedom, and cancel culture.  In 2022,...

Marek Kohn on The Stories Old Towns Tell

Marek Kohn on The Stories Old Towns Tell

The author explores how history shapes urban identity and the delicate balance of rebuilding after disaster.
Marek Kohn

Marek, many congratulations on the new book, The Stories Old Towns Tell. Why did you choose the seven cities (Frankfurt; Würzburg; Rothenburg ; Prague; Warsaw; Lublin and Vilnius) – did you use a set of criteria, or was it your own experiences of visiting them? Thank...